The Easter Bunny is on his way

In religious terms, Easter is a Christian festival and holiday celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion at Calvary as described in the New Testament.

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By Bill Shrum, bshrum@stuttgartdailyleader.com

Stuttgart Daily Leader - Stuttgart, AR

By Bill Shrum, bshrum@stuttgartdailyleader.com

Posted Mar. 28, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Updated Mar 28, 2013 at 1:37 PM

By Bill Shrum, bshrum@stuttgartdailyleader.com

Posted Mar. 28, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Updated Mar 28, 2013 at 1:37 PM

STUTTGART

This weekend is Easter and for the little ones, the Easter Bunny hides eggs so they can pick them up at a community event, a church event or a family event. Photos are always taken and they are so much fun to look at 20 years down the road, everyone dressed in their church finery and their slick hair.

In religious terms, Easter is a Christian festival and holiday celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion at Calvary as described in the New Testament. Easter is the culmination of the Passion of Christ, preceded by Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penance. The last week of Lent is called Holy Week, and it includes Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Last Supper, and Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.

Easter is one of the holidays that moves around. Everyone knows I can't keep up with this, I just know when the next year’s calendar comes out and there is Easter on that Sunday. It can be an early Easter, which comes in the last of March, or late, which occurs in April. I am always surprised, because it has something to do with the following of the sun.

I have trouble keeping up with myself, let alone with the alignment of the sun. Messing with the calendar is another thing I can't do, so I just look at the new calendar when it comes out the last of December. Are there others out there who think the same way as I do?

When Melissa was little, I began a tradition of making her a basket every year. I wouldn't buy her one of the ready-made baskets from the factory. I would make it from the ground up, and I enjoyed it much better. I would fill the plastic eggs with candy or jelly beans and always have her a large chocolate egg. She looked forward to it each year. I think I stopped when she was 14 or 15 years of age.

Easter is also a great tradition to be with the family. Whether it is going to church, going to a dinner with the family or going to a grandmother’s or grandfather’s for an Easter gathering. Easter is a family event and believe me there are a great deal of things to begin doing to make it a tradition of some kind. Start your own tradition and everyone will be pleased.

When my brother and I were very young and growing up, we did all of the same things that everyone else did. We got new spring clothes to wear to Sunday School and church on Easter and attended the Easter egg hunts around the community. We also went down to our grandmother’s in DeWitt and hid Easter eggs around their home with all of our cousins. We always enjoyed that because it was always fun with them and we looked forward to that event.

Page 2 of 2 - My mother had three brothers and four sisters. They would bring their children down there and boy did we have a lot of fun. My grandfather and grandmother didn't have much money but they had a lot of love and a lot of food. You just can't imagine the food that was down there during the holidays. My favorite down there was and still is my Aunt Shirley's two-layered coconut cake.

Another thing about Easter is the food and with a large gathering there is ton of food to be had. Those grandmothers can cook without a cookbook, measuring cup and measuring spoons. I am sure you have seen this. My Grandmother Austin never had them in her kitchen, because there were a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren who wanted recipes, and they couldn't be found.